Bit for prospecting tools



A rifl 23, 1935. F. c. CHEW 1,999,033

BIT FOR PROSPECTING TOOLS Filed Sept. 17, 1934 il liflb 24 W W W QYWWM F CChew Patented Apr. 23, 1935 PATENT OFFICE BIT FOR PROSPECTING TOOLS Fred C. Chew, Grand Island, Nebre Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,335 I 4 Claims.

My invention relates to prospecting tools and more particularly to a specialized form of bit to be used in connection with the prospecting tool described in my. copending application, Serial 5 Number 719,733.

The primary object of' the present invention is the provision or" a bit to be used with a suction tube and particularly-adapted for drilling through a variety of soils to a considerable depth.

Another of my objects is the provision of a casing for discharging Water into a soil'cavity and arranged to cooperate with a bit for drilling through relatively hard soils.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an outer discharge casing surrounding a suction pipe with the bit projecting beyond the lower end of the discharge casing and havinga latching device to maintain the bit in operative position, the latch being releasable so that the bit and the suction pipe may be withdrawn from the outer casing.

Having in view these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following description, I will now refer to the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section and halfsection showing the entire equipment.

Figure 2 is an elevational view showing a view of the suction pipe and bit in operation in a soil cavity.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the bit alone as operating in a gravel or stony soil.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a broken'fragment of the bit showing one of the inlet apertures with its cutting edge.

Figure 5 is a View in elevation of a bit of somewhat modified form.

The complete structure includes an outer casing IIJ surrounding a suction pipe I I which is provided with a bit at its lower end. The outer casing I and the suction pipe II are connected together by a coupling I2 having an intake port l3. The outer casing I9 and the suction pipe II are spaced apart so that water entering the intake port I3 is conducted through the annular space to the bit and discharged therefrom into the soil cavity from whence it is withdrawn through the suction pipe H. Soil samples may thus be taken at any desired depth.

The bit I4 has a frusto-comcal lower portion and a cylindrical upper portion which is internally screw threaded for securing it to the lower screw'threaded portion of the suction pipe H. This bit is provided with a lower aperture I for the entrance of water, and also with a plurality of elongated apertures I6 which are not only adapted to conduct the water into the suction tube but also to function as cutters to loosen the soil so that the prospecting tool may sink into the cavity as shown in Figure 4. The bit is provided with a cutting edge I! at each aperture I6 and with a beveled surface I8 for facilitating the flow of soil intothe suction tube. with its bit is turned in the direction of the arrow the cutting edge I! will loosen the soil and the loosened soil is immediately carried by suction-through the aperture I6 into the bit and outwardly through the suction pipe. The mouth of the orifice is enlarged because of the beveled'edge I8, the result being that particles of sand and gravel pass more readily through the apertures I6. The velocity of the water passingthrough the aperture I 6 is also accelerated which also tends to prevent the clogging of the aperture.

The bit is slightly smaller in diameter than the casing l9 but it is important that the diameter of the soil excavation'be such that the casing I0 can sink into the soil excavation. This necessitates that the soil excavation have a diameter which is at least equal to the diameter of the. casing Iii. For this reason I employ-a structure which includes pairs of parallel spaced ribs I9. Above the bit is a collar 20 which is slidable on the suction pipe II. Secured to the upper edge of the collar 20 is a plurality of flexible members such as the chains 21-, these chains being secured at their upper ends to cars 22 projecting from the suction pipe H.- Dogs 23 are pivotally secured to the collar 20 at its lower extremity. The number of dogs 23. corresponds to the number of pairsof ribs I9 and the width is such that each dog will seat between a pair of ribs I9, the pairs of ribs I9 and the dogs 23 being sospaced circumferentially that the dogs 23 will readily find their When the tool 7 seatsbetween thepairs of ribs I9. These dogs 23 will not only be seated between pairs of ribs l9 but they willcooperate withthe lower end of the edge of the casing II]. By raising the collar 20, the dogs 23 will also be raised and they will" be caused to assume the position which is more or less in parallelism withthe, upper surface of the bit. When the collar is lowered to'the position shown in Figure'l the dogs 23 will project downwardlyand outwardly in which they are latched by the action of .the lower edge of the casing Ill. The ribs I9 and the dogs 23'are all made preferably of materials which will stand the abrasion of the soil since the dogs 23 project outwardly beyond the outer surface of the casing I0 they will tend toenlarge the diameter of the excavation so that the casing in can readily sink under its own weight into the cavity.

.After the tool as shown in Figure 1 has been 7 sunk to the desired depth or if it is desired to add another section to the casing Ill, the coupling I2 is first removed to give access to the chains 2|. By lifting up on these chains the collar 20 will be lifted relatively to the suction pipe II and the dogs 23 will be withdrawn into the casing It. At this stage the entire suction pipe I I with the bit may be withdrawn through the casing I0.

In some kinds of soil the excavation may be made as shown in Figure 2. The suction pipe I l and the bit alone are employed, the earth wall serving as the casing. The water may be conducted into the cavity through a pipe 24. The suction is applied at the upper end of the suction pipe I! and water from the bottom of the cavity together with the soil in suspension is withdrawn through the apertures I6 of the bit and then through the suction pipe I I. When used in this way the prospecting tool must be rotated back and forth in order to secure the cutting action at the edge of the aperture 5 as well as the'abrasive action of the ribs 9. The clamp 25 surrounding the suction pipe i l is therefore employed so that the operator can grasp the handles of the clamp with both hands to turn the suction pipe back and forth or to rotate it.

It is obvious that the taper of the bit as well as certain other features of the bit may be modified and altered to adapt the bit for use in certain kinds of soils. In Figure 5 I show at 25 one of the numerous possible modifications of the bits. The bit 26 is a shortnosed bit which is provided in its nose with a plurality of apertures H3 which are similar to the apertures l6. Each aperture is provided with a cutting edge similar to the edge Ill and with a beveled surface similar to the surface I8.

The tool as above described is designed primarily for collecting soil samples at various depths for purposes of assay. The tool is sunk by forcing the water through the intake port 13 to loosen the soil at the bottom of the casing. In some cases it is necessary to rotate the tool or to turn it back and forth on its axis in order to loosen the soil so that the stream of water can carry it out through the suction pipe H. In such cases the dogs 23 cooperating with the ribs l6 function as a reamer to slightly enlarge the diameter of the soil cavity so that the casing II! will sink of its own weight in the enlarged cavity.

A plurality of bits of various kinds is available for use in different kinds of soils which also'determine the manner'in which the tool is to be used. In a light clay soil the outer casing I0 is not necessary since walls of the soil cavity may function as a casing as shown in Figure 2. The dogs 23 may also be omitted as in Figure 2 when the soil is of such a character that the ribs I9 are sufiicient for loosening the soil into the stream of water. The tool may be used also in collecting ore particles from the rocky bed of a. stream as shown in Figure 3. In all cases the soil sample is gathered from the'discharge coming from the suction pipe II. If a rich ore deposit is found at some desired spot, the ore may be drawn through the suction pipe II and gathered out of the discharge of the pipe.

It is obvious, however, that the construction may function otherwise than as a bit for collectingsoil samples. Wells may be sunk in the manner shown in Figure 1 so that the outer casing iii will remain in the soil cavity to serve as a well casing. When a section of the casing 10 has been sunk, the coupling IZ'is removed to permit the attachment of another section to the casing iii, after which the coupling I2 is secured to the top of the newly added section. This may then be repeated until the casing ID has been sunk to the desired depth after which the suction pipe and the bit are removed. While water iscommonly used as a fluent to carry away the dislodged soil in the soil cavity, it is obvious that air could be forced through the intake port 13 to dislodge the sand in a stratum of quick sand and possibly in some other places. Old oil wells may also be rejuvenated by forcing air through the intake port l3 into the oil well and then drawing it out through the suction pipe. 7

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A prospecting tool including a suction pipe adapted to be manually rotated in a soil cavity, a bit secured to said suction pipe at the lower extremity thereof, a portion of said bit having 'a diameter greater than the diameter of said suction pipe, said bit being provided with a suction aperture having a pair of beveled surfaces, a cutting edge on one of said beveled surfaces for cutting the soil of the wall of the soil cavity and the other of said beveled surfaces being divergent from the first said beveled surfaces to thereby provide an enlarged mouth for the suction opening, and the plurality of ribs projecting outwardly from said bit at the portion of its greatest diameter.

2. A prospecting tool including a suction pipe and a frusto-conical bit secured thereto at the lower extremity thereof, a casing surrounding said suction pipe and spaced therefrom, said bit having a diameter less than the internal diameter of said casing whereby said suction pipe and said bit may be withdrawn from said casing, and dogs between said bit and the lower edge of said casing for projecting beyond the projected vertical Walls of said casing to enlarge the diameter of the earth cavity.

3. A prospecting tool including a suction pipe and an outer casing concentric therewith and spaced therefrom, a collar slidable on said suction pipe, a plurality of dogs pivotally secured to said casing at the lowerextremity thereof, said dogs being adapted to project downwardly and outwardly from the lower edge of said casing, and means for latching said dogs in downwardly and outwardly projected position to function as a reamer for said outer casing, said collar being upwardly slidable on said suction pipe to collapse said dogs for the withdrawal of said suction pipe and said collar and said dogs from said outer casing.

4. A prospecting tool including a suction pipe having a bit at its lower extremity, an outer cas ing surrounding said suction pipe and spaced therefrom, a collar surrounding and. slidable on said suction pipe above said bit, a plurality of dogs pivotally secured to said collar at the lower extremity thereof, and a plurality of pairs of ribs projecting from said bit, each of said pairs of ribs being adapted to seat one of said dogs therebetween in wedged relation to the lower edge of said outer casing whereby said dogs will function as a reamer to enlarge the earth cavity, said collar being slidable upwardly to release said dogs for the withdrawal of said suction pipe and said collar and said dogs from said outer casing.

FRED C. CHEW. 

